Starless
by matsujen
Summary: NejiXTenten. The instructions were clear. Eliminate any witness. It was starless that night. Chapter Nine: Certain Destiny
1. Chapter 1: Second Place

Starless

NejiXTenten. The instructions were clear. Eliminate any witness. It was starless that night.

Naruto is by Masashi Kishimoto.

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Chapter One: Second Place

He arrived at the front door of the Hokage's mansion and found no one. It's no surprise since he always arrive a little early than the scheduled appointment- a discipline and a habit. It had only been a few minutes when he saw Tenten waving cheerfully at him. He nodded in response, a subtle smile appearing on his face. The story he heard from Lee before he left for a mission with Gai had him smiling the whole day. That medic nin was dumped too, apparently. There's been an influx of suitors lately, much to his dismay. The frequent missions kept him out of the village most of the time and that, he thought, encouraged the opportunists.

"I heard about it." He said as soon as she was a step away, masking the smile on his face.

She replied with a heavy sigh. She had spent the entire day lecturing Sakura and Ino to stop their so-called 'test of love'. The two were so involved trying to get them together and now that they are, their next project is to break them apart. It doesn't make sense.

"I like him but…" She paused briefly. "…I don't love him."

"So I gathered."

Who's in her dislike list anyway? She has, indeed, grown as a fine kunoichi- skillful, beautiful, every inch attractive. It's not her fault. He's not the only one who's got a good pair of eyes. The smile reappeared on his face, his thoughts moving forward.

"You're suddenly in a good mood." She said as she gave his long dark hair a playful tug.

He laughed a little at her teasing. Nothing can ruin his triumphant good mood- triumph over guy number 9 also known as Sakura's bet. She smiled at him and held him by his arm as she pulled him along. He likes it when she's near him. He likes it when she's being like that.

"Tsunade-sama is going to get angry if we're late!"

"I guess." He said, walking beside her.

They made their way to the stairs that leads to the Hokage's office. It was a mission for the two of them, he heard. They were both beyond excited. They haven't been together in a mission for the longest time. And whether it's due to the manipulation of some concerned or simply nosy individuals or not, he's thankful. They will be out on their own and he wouldn't have to worry about gossiping or worse, spying. Although his focus is impeccable during missions, it's still a good chance to spend some time together. For years, they have bonded in ways strange to the majority. And they don't have a problem with that.

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"It can't be helped." The Hokage said.

It was her reply to the obviously disappointed look in both their faces. Read the entire request letter next time, she made a mental note of Shizune's words. She should have listened to her assistant the first time she heard that warning. She took the scroll on her desk, sealed with a golden emblem. She then handed it to Neji. He accepted it and went back to stand beside the still pissed off bun haired kunoichi.

"Believe me, I intended to assign the two of you but Takeda-sama said he wanted one person for this mission. I can't choose Tenten because it's an S rank."

"What is this mission about? An S rank mission is extremely dangerous and yet they asked for just one person?" Tenten debated.

The Hokage sighed as she swiveled her chair to face the huge glass window behind her. The truth is, she's just as confounded. It's exactly as the Chuunin said. It's a weird mission. S ranks are not assigned as an individual mission unless the village is suffering from damages, losses or war. Konoha is able to send an entire team to ensure the success of the daimyo's request but his letter insisted that they send one, highly qualified shinobi. The letter included no other detail.

"Actually, even I don't know what the mission is about." She admitted.

"What?" Tenten blurted.

"I all ready told you all that I know."

"We don't accept missions like that, right?"

"Unfortunately, I can't turn down this one."

"But why?"

"Tenten…" Neji interrupted.

She's worried about the mission, or it's better to say that she's worried about him going to such an absurd mission. It would have been acceptable if they can go together. Two heads are better than one- especially because the task lacks almost all the necessary information. The issue had gone beyond the simple _we want to be together _rant.

"By this emblem, this mission is requested by the daimyo of the Land of Fire." He said.

"But his request is so unreasonable!"

"Unreasonable or not, Tsunade-sama has to maintain the good relationship between Konoha and the Land of Fire. It's not that she willingly succumbed to such a demanding mission. She just had to accept it." He explained.

The Hokage nodded, relieved that at least she's got him on her side. The Hyuuga talent has always been a critical thinker and at times like that, she knew she can depend on him to carry out missions with the least complaints or questions. There's no denying that she's worried about one of her best shinobi though. If it's any other party who requested that kind of mission, it should have been a quick and easy _no. _But that daimyo is an indispensable client.

Tenten grew quiet. He's that type of guy- a laudable example of a great shinobi. If only he would understand the torture she goes through whenever he leaves with no guarantee of coming back. If it's any other girl then she can get mad, she can yell, she can even cry. She's a competitive person. But how do you compete against something so _abstract_? She may be the closest person to him but even at that, she's always a second placer after his duties.

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She stared at the plate before her. The ambiance of their favourite restaurant didn't help her appetite. Neji just finished his food and with his sigh, she noticed that he's looking at her. She remained quiet after that argument- mum as he accepted the mission, finalized the arrangements, as they headed out of the Hokage's office, replying with a nod when he asked her if she wanted to get something to eat. For some reason, she doesn't feel good about that mission- that and the fact that he's leaving her again, too soon.

"You're not touching your food."

"I'm not hungry."

"I asked you and you agreed."

"I just wanted to spend more time with you." She said bluntly.

There was silence between them. He had planned on their supposedly mission together as soon as he heard about it. He knows she's looking forward to it as well and he can't blame her. It's too bad that it had to end that way but that's the life of a ninja. Missions are missions, and they're always a ninja's top priority. Every shinobi and kunoichi knows that.

"Neji…" She said softly.

"Hm?"

"Don't accept the mission."

"I all ready did."

"You can say no this time."

"Tenten…"

"There are a lot of other Jounins out there. Surely, Tsunade-sama can find a replacement."

He didn't say anything. He has never backed out from a mission before. He doesn't have the intention to. In a way, he's pleased with the trust and confidence that the Hokage constantly puts on him. It's quite puzzling that he is yet to be promoted within the ANBU ranks with all that recognition under his name. And that's what he's been aiming for. Him and her- that can wait.

"You don't want to." She said, as if reading his mind.

He watched her as she stood up, following her when she walked out of the establishment. Her steps were slow and unsure. She had long vowed to support him in any way that she can. From training during their Genin days, to following his orders when they were promoted- him to a Jounin and her to a Chuunin, up to that point that he's somewhere she probably couldn't reach. He can't be bound in a cage. His possibilities are endless. It pains her to know that all she can do is let him go.

"Neji…" She said as she stopped walking.

He was a few steps behind her. He was told to see the daimyo immediately and knowing him, he'll be leaving that night. He won't change his mind- with that special clause the Hokage gave him, no one can, as much as she hates to admit it. At that rate, he'll be leaving while they're in a fight. No matter how small it is, distraction is the last thing he needed.

"Make it up to me when you get back, okay?"

He was almost sure that she was at one of her worse moods. He was pleasantly surprised that she was suddenly over it but she was even more surprised when his arms wrapped around her waist from behind, resting his chin over her shoulder. It always baffles her, how amazing it is that his simplest acts could send her over the sky. Second place doesn't seem so bad when he's like that. And everything else- the tantrum, the sulking, the temper, and even the hurt- disappears.

"Take care." She whispered as she pulled a bunch of his long dark hair.

"I will." He said, holding her tighter.

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Rated T for Neji's mission later, I guess.

Genre of Romance and a little bit of the other stuff.

I appreciate your time. Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2: The Assassin

Starless

NejiXTenten. The instructions were clear. Eliminate any witness. It was starless that night.

Naruto is by Masashi Kishimoto.

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Chapter Two: The Assassin

The whole room, up to the littlest detail, defined royalty. It was overwhelming as opposed to their minimalist manor though both exude fine art. He had been waiting for nearly an hour when a man, probably in his late twenties, dressed in shades of purple walked in, along with two older men. He lowered his head after glancing and memorizing their faces. From the man's garb, he could tell that he was the one who requested the mission.

"Introduce yourself." One of the older men said.

"Hyuuga Neji."

"How old are you?" The one that the Hokage referred to as Takeda-sama, the daimyo in purples asked after a few exchange of whispers with the other two.

"I'm eighteen."

They started their discussion again. The two older men were particularly dubious of him. He felt it with their glances. He didn't really mind. He was a Jounin of three years and an ANBU special member of over a year. Without being overconfident, he was aware of his capabilities. But if they were making such a fuss over a seemingly huge task, they should have requested for a team instead of an individual. They could have done _her_ a favor.

"Although we recognize your last name, aren't you too young for this?"

"I am fully capable."

"I must assume that. I clearly told Tsunade that I want only the best for this mission."

It was rare that a mission was accepted even before knowing what the task is. Actually, it could be the first time that it happened. But this nobility is someone that the Hokage could not refuse- a daimyo of the highest rank from the Land of Fire. The mission that he requested was described vaguely as an S rank mission and that he wanted to commission an elite shinobi for it. Probably based on experience, he categorized it as an assassination.

"You realize that the success of this mission will benefit the whole Land of Fire, including Konoha, and definitely yourself?"

"I've been informed."

Up until that time, he didn't know what good it would bring to the Land of Fire but he knew that every successful mission brings repute to Konoha. And as for himself, the Hokage promised his immediate promotion, which had been long overdue, as an ANBU squad leader once the daimyo is satisfied. It was enough motivation for him to go, despite his girlfriend's aversion for the said task. If she was a little less understanding, they would have broken up after their first day.

He remembered how happy Tenten was when he became a Jounin and then ANBU. She was always on his side. And she was always the one who gave in. He was aware of it though he didn't mean to be so selfish. He knew he should be doing something about it. He wondered what would be nice to give her when he gets back. But he shook the thought off his head before a smile could creep up his face which, given the circumstance, would be weird. It was not the time to space out and think about her.

"Good. I will now explain the mission…" The daimyo began.

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Three men were a couple of meters south, eight were scattered around the north and east area, five were in hiding, and one was standing right beside the man that he only knew as Takeda-sama's chief adviser. Of all the guards he had with him, none of them seemed to be particularly dangerous. Those five's stealth skills were horrible to begin with. The guy beside the chief adviser should be able to give him some challenge though he appeared to be all about brawn what with his intimidating physique.

They began moving, just as he was informed. The chief adviser was under the suspicion of working in cahoots with officials from other countries. They weren't contented with doing illegal business and they want the daimyo ousted. That night, he would be meeting up with a messenger, at least according to the story he heard. The daimyo, along with his two most loyal subordinates, showed him the evidences they gathered. And based on it, the simple conclusion was that the suspicions were true.

He suggested that the chief adviser be stripped of his position for treason but apparently, he had already established his own faction that going through the legal process wouldn't be as easy. Furthermore, the connections he had with the other countries will make things difficult and complicated. This left the daimyo with no other choice but order his assassination. The politics was boring and dirty. To him, it was just another mission. He secured his mask and started trailing.

A fleet of senbon cut through the chilly air. Neji darted through the woods to catch the falling body- he would like to avoid any noise. He looked up as soon as he secured the body on the ground. Two other bodies were on the branches, in no danger of falling off. The senbon was not a weapon meant for killing. But hitting the vital points would cause sudden, quiet death. It suited his personality and it had become one of his favorite methods. His Byakugan and Tenten's aim training helped a lot.

He quickened his pace to catch up with the target. The old chief adviser couldn't have chosen a more secretive meeting place. He moved from tree to tree, keeping an eye on each member of the old man's entourage, stopping when he noticed something strange.

"Trap?" He asked himself.

Wires made invisible by the dark were attached to explosive tags in such a way that it would trigger explosions upon contact. It was like an insurance against possible enemy attack. He smirked behind his feline mask, satisfied at his analysis.

He saw another two, a few meters in front. They were considerably slow, probably thinking that the wires and explosive tags will give them the leeway. He noticed that some of them, including his target, have gained distance. He increased his speed, turning around when he was ahead of the two, stopping them with a single Jyuuken hit each aimed directly at their hearts. One of the bodies slammed against a tree. The other one was blown away by the concentrated chakra, the body merged with the dark.

"Stop it right there."

He paused, his lips curved to a faint smile. The voice was coming from behind him. Seven other men were cloaked in darkness. Of course, it was just as he expected because there were only five men who went ahead.

"Reveal yourself."

"You're in no position to give me orders." He said.

"Idiot." One of the hidden men commented.

"You are the idiot. You're all within the reach of my Hakke."

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Two men fell one after the other, much to the surprise of the rest- there was no blood, no weapons, there was nothing but lifeless bodies- because it was impossible for the normal eye to see the excessive damage inflicted to their inner organs. The third could only freeze when he felt the presence behind him. But he tried to struggle when he felt cold metal against his throat, causing the kunai to go further than what was needed to simply finish him. He dropped on the floor, quivering, scattering red liquid.

"D-don't hurt me!" The old man said, waving his arms in front of him as if to make an illusionary shield. "What do you want? I'll give you anything you want!"

Neji dropped the kunai as he looked at the two remaining living persons, not counting himself. He got them cornered relatively fast. The old official hired slackers, what a cheapskate. The guard beside the adviser, in a cowardly act, ran out of the scene without giving a fight- abandoning his duty. It was such a shame since he was almost sure that he was the only guard who could at least put up a fight. He heard it somewhere- you can teach techniques, but you can't teach bravery.

"W-wait! Don't leave me! Don't leave me here!" The old man called.

He dashed toward the man on the run, taking him down on the ground at the same time that he pulled out his ninjatou- not giving him the chance to scream. After confirming death, he quickly stood up and started toward the shock stricken official.

The chief adviser gasped when he saw him emerge with the bloodied weapon. He tried to run but before he could make a move, Neji seized him by the arm twisting it behind him and slamming him, face first, against a tree trunk. The ninjatou's blade gashed this neck. It was no shock that his hired guards were easily toppled. His assailant was a top caliber assassin. And a merciful one at that- because he suddenly fell on the ground, not knowing what hit him.

He swung the weapon in one quick movement, spattering crimson across the bed of grass. He deactivated his Byakugan, getting ready to leave when he heard a crackle- as if someone stepped on brittle autumn leaves. He turned around. There was a witness.

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I'm kind of busy these days so it took me a while to update- sorry about that.

But a new chapter will be posted every week and that's a promise.

Thank you for reading and reviewing!

Special thanks to I.heart.Hatake.Kakashi for pointing out something so obvious. Hopefully, this is a somewhat better version- or is it worse? I will work harder next time XD


	3. Chapter 3: The Witness

Starless

NejiXTenten. The instructions were clear. Eliminate any witness. It was starless that night.

_Those in italics are Takeda-sama's words in Neji's thought. Like some sort of flashback._

Naruto is by Masashi Kishimoto.

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Chapter Three: The Witness

She was sitting on the edge of her bed. A packed bag was beside her. She slept to thoughts of him. Even while having dinner with the girls the previous night, she kept on thinking about him. She was glad that at least he left free from disturbance, at least she was able to do her part. Of course, she was aware of his feelings and he need not confirm it. Perhaps what she wanted to know is when she would be his number one- because he had always been hers.

The knocking on the door caught her attention but she didn't have to do or say anything. Ino took the liberty of allowing herself in, sighing and crossing her arms as soon as she saw her. She looked at the bag and then at her, obviously demanding an explanation.

"We've been waiting outside!"

"I'm sorry…"

"Are you not feeling well?" Ino asked as she walked towards her.

"In a way…"

"He's going to be fine! Your boyfriend is the only Jounin amongst us!"

"I know that."

"So what's bothering you?"

"Well…" She sighed. "It's difficult to put it into words…"

Even if she wanted to talk about it, it would probably be useless. Ino had never had a serious relationship. Those that she called serious lasted for about several days, the rest were one time dates. Sakura could be a better choice though she had never really gotten over her first love. And there's Hinata, who might be able to give her some valuable insights on a Hyuuga male's thinking. If only she could manage to stay conscious long enough.

"If you ask me, a hug from behind with his chin over your shoulder means something." Ino grinned. "Besides, we all know he has issues with expressing himself."

She stood up and began walking toward the door, carrying her bag with her. She wanted to avoid discussing that topic. They were scheduled to go to a hot spring that day, by Ino's invitation. She didn't want to ruin the mood. The girls had been patient enough with her.

"I know you're worried about the mission but I told you, he's a Jounin."

"How did you know about it anyway?"

"We're students of Tsunade-sama." She said as she walked after her. "It's only natural that we have some information."

"Not the mission… oh forget it."

The blond giggled. They were being spied upon, she realized. She thought Neji was just making things up so he could justify his occasional coldness. She thought it was just his mood. But as it turned out, his accusations were all facts. She sighed in exasperation. Konoha sure had a lot of talented operatives. So it seemed the Hyuugas weren't just interesting because of their Byakugan. Neji, especially when they got together, was a favourite subject of observation. She wondered what was so fascinating about the two of them.

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The barking of Hinata's puppy was annoying. She wanted a quiet time and she thought that the hot spring was the perfect venue to soothe her mind. The place that Ino recommended was lovely. It could have been perfect if the puppy wasn't making so much noise.

"It's like having Kiba around!" Ino complained. "This is supposed to be a girls' day out!"

"Well, the puppy was a gift from Kiba." Sakura commented.

"I'm… I'm sorry…"

"It's okay Hinata. Go get changed, I'll watch over your puppy." Tenten said.

"T… Thank you."

Hinata headed to the changing rooms. Ino was busy pulling her hair up in a bun while Sakura was already submerged in the steaming water. Tenten carried the puppy in her arms. Akamaru's kin probably liked her because it stopped barking.

"What's his name?" She asked.

"The puppy doesn't have a name yet." Sakura said.

"How come?"

"Kiba gave it to her while we were waiting for you. And until you came down, she still can't decide on his name."

"We went through at least 35 names, can you believe it?" Ino said.

She laughed a little. Going out with the girls was a good idea. Ino had a point there. Neji was a Jounin. One of the best Konoha could offer. It was only natural for him to prioritize his village. And as for them, maybe they could agree on something when he gets back.

"Sakura, let's get something to drink."

"Sure."

"And Tenten, you should have gone with Hinata. Just leave the puppy there. It must have some sort of intelligence if it's from Kiba."

She gave her a slight nod. Ino sure was getting bossy. Anybody could be bossy around Shikamaru, she guessed. The two girls went on ahead. The puppy was getting restless and soon, it started its annoying barking again. She lost her hold of it and it ran off.

"Hey wait up!" She yelled as she ran after it.

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He followed the tracks left by his new target. From the pattern of movements, though clumsy and conspicuous, he could tell that he was a legit shinobi unlike those guards. That chase might well be the challenging part of the mission.

"_I will give you three directions for strict compliance."_

The daimyo's words echoed in his ear as he hopped to the next steady branch. Twigs, leaves, and an obvious presence of chakra- he was way too soft for a shinobi if he was that scared of what he saw.

"_First, this is a strictly confidential mission. You should have figured that out by now."_

"Check." He muttered to himself.

He prepared well. He chose to be in his full ANBU uniform over his regular robe-like attire. He went to see the daimyo early in the evening instead of any strange time of the day, disguised as a wealthy trader interested in doing business in the region.

"_Second, you have to finish him at all costs."_

"Check."

The faster the better- he took extra effort to ensure that he gets them on the first hit, using his Byakugan to confirm their deaths. It wasn't his first assassination mission. And he never had any problems before- he had always been accurate and precise.

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She dropped on the ground, catching her breath. It was pitch black and she had several scratches and bruises as a result, scampering in unfamiliar terrain. She was positive that she didn't know which way was the hot spring. She wasn't able to retrieve Hinata's puppy either. But the important part was that she lost her pursuer. Whoever that was, there was no way she could be found in total darkness. But what the hell happened out there, she thought.

She pulled up her knees to her chest. She should get out of that forest but she had no idea how. Her first problem was that she was lost in the middle of nowhere. The second problem was that cloaked killer. Her options were limited. If she decided to run, she might be found. She didn't even know which way to go. She chose to sit still and wait. She was a proud Konoha kunoichi, after all. If she was attacked, she might as well show why she was reputed as Konoha's Weapons Mistress.

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He crouched on a branch, a good distance away from his target. He had his chakra perfectly masked. Learning of his presence was close to impossibility. He noted that that shinobi had a rather good level of speed and alertness- but nothing alarming enough for him. Could it be that he got tired from all that running? He couldn't feel any movement. Or it could be a bait. Maybe he was waiting for a chance to attack him. He couldn't afford to be reckless.

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It had been quite some time. She was hoping that that freak had given up on the search. S rank missions must be something like that, she thought. Neji must be doing something like that while she was worrying on how to make him more of a boyfriend material. At the sight of the disturbing scene, she forgot to mask her chakra and ran off like some ninja wannabe. Forget about the puppy, she thought. It had probably found its way back to the hot spring. Her eyes had somehow adjusted to the dark. Maybe she could try her luck.

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He remained crouched on that branch, waiting for the enemy's first move. And soon enough, the figure stood up. It's about time, he thought. The promotion was in the bag. The pupils in his eyes started to be somewhat visible as the veins around his temples bulged.

"_And third, eliminate any witness."_

There must be a mistake. He closed his eyes and opened it again, slowly. It was not a shinobi. He glared at the person awaiting _her_ imminent doom. There must be a mistake somewhere.

"Tenten…" His lips formed her name.

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Alright, so I thought the first two chapters were all over the place but this is where I'm getting at XD

Many thanks to all those who continue to read and review this fic!


	4. Chapter 4: Neji vs Tenten

Starless

NejiXTenten. The instructions were clear. Eliminate any witness. It was starless that night.

Naruto is by Masashi Kishimoto.

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Chapter Four: Neji vs Tenten

Suddenly, his entire body felt weak. He couldn't bring himself to stand up. Without taking his eyes off her, the questions raced through his head. What was she doing out there on her own? What should be his next move? He never had any trouble understanding massive amounts of information until that time. She was a comrade and so much more- so much more than that. He couldn't possibly take her down. But letting her go would mean betraying the trust of the client. Losing focus in such a situation was not like him.

She tried to concentrate. Either the enemy was an expert at stealth or the enemy lost her and gave up. She prayed hard that it was the latter. It was a good thing that she hadn't changed yet. She still had her kunai holster and weapons pouch though she left her scrolls in their room back in the hot spring. Even though she was a weapons specialist, the situation was totally against her. Her weapons would be useless in that dark. Her perfect aim would be meaningless because she didn't even know the location of her target.

He reached for a couple of kunais and threw them as soon as she made a movement. The weapons stopped her right after her first step. It landed a good number of inches from her feet- exactly where he wanted it to be. Her heart nearly skipped a beat, alarmed by the abrupt and hostile approach. She had been tracked down and obviously, she wasn't allowed to leave. Sensing that she would have to be engaged in a fight soon, she reached for her pouch for a quick estimate of the limited arsenal that she had.

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She panted heavily, her back pressed against a tree trunk. She decided to give it a run. Staying in that place when she knew that she was being watched would do no good. The enemy was still tracking her down though. And he was doing it with utmost ease- to her bewilderment. Was he immune to the dark or something? A sweat drop trickled down her temple- it was a chilly autumn night. She looked up in exhaustion, wiping several beads of sweat on her forehead. A blanket of clouds covered the night sky, she noticed

He was still in a debate with himself when she started running. He tried to stop her with another warning shot but she continued. He couldn't let her run away. He couldn't disappoint the client. He couldn't disappoint Konoha. The Hokage clearly told him that she wanted to satisfy the daimyo, that the mission was vital in maintaining a good relationship between Konoha and the Land of Fire. He knew all that and he knew what he had to do. But why did it have to be her? The heavens were being unjust and cruel.

The scurry ended with her seeking a hiding place from amongst the shadows of the forest. It was to be expected. She didn't have such a high level of stamina. He sat down quietly on the ground, tightly clenching his fists together, asking himself what he was doing. He was losing track of his own actions. He couldn't find sense in it. She was probably clueless that he was the one chasing her, clueless that he was just a few trees away. Chasing was pointless. He can end it all at will. If only his will would let him.

His thoughts were disrupted by the sudden arrival of another presence of chakra. It was foreign to him and it was getting closer. He leaped to a tall branch, searching for its source. It was another shinobi- definitely not from Konoha. Those old geezers never trusted him right from the start. They probably sent him for back up. And because his presence was proficiently hidden, that shinobi would most definitely go for…

Abandon the mission.

He jumped in to deflect the fuuma shuriken aimed toward the unknowing girl in a split second decision. But he turned around to meet the blade of her kunai thrusting deep into the right side of his torso. It was unanticipated. Surprised that she actually managed a counterattack, she lost balance and they both fell to the ground. She was determined to fight for her life though. She pulled out the metal and stabbed him once again, in the same area. The ninjatou blade, broken from the impact against the fuuma shuriken, struck the ground nearby.

Wisps of long dark hair escaped from the hood of his cowl. That person carried a scent too familiar to her, despite being infused with the stench of blood. That was a fuuma shuriken that came out of nowhere. Why did he block it? She was uncertain of the events because she was too absorbed thinking of a way to defeat her pursuer. That and the confusion of why he wasn't fighting back- she was getting awfully shaky as she removed the mask on his face. Panic reflected on her eyes when she saw the face of the shinobi on top of her.

She immediately rolled over, laying his head gently and steady on the ground. Her sobs were suppressed as she stared at him with vacuous eyes. It was his S rank mission that she witnessed. Knowing that it was him who was trying to kill her- so that explained the flawless tracking skills. What was he thinking? Why did he chase her? Was that a part of his mission? The tears started to overflow at the thought- that he was willing to go that far. She clearly overestimated her place in his life. And it hurt like hell.

"Neji…" She muttered as her blood stained hands brushed strands of hair off his face.

He squirmed in pain, covering the wounds on his side with his own reddened hands. You brought this upon yourself, she thought bitterly. She could have guessed anybody else. Anybody else would be fine. She had given so much but it proved to be insufficient that he still wanted to take her life- when it belonged to him from as far as she could remember. She wanted to stab him again. She felt so betrayed. She needed to hear an explanation. She needed something to believe in because she felt totally empty. She was pitiful beyond words.

"You were... why did you…" Her broken words trailed off, tears stopping her mid-verse. She paused, allowing her tears to fall softly, uninterrupted, and when she was ready to talk, she was concerned of only one thing. "You're hurt…" She whispered.

He shook his head lightly, forcing a smile on his nearly colorless face. He lost a lot of blood from the stab wounds that she inflicted. He couldn't give her an explanation in that situation, she figured. She held the kunai firmly and took it out with a sharp pull at the same time that he rolled over her again. His Byakugan saw it coming.

"Don't move!" She said in a futile late warning.

He collapsed on top of her. Her heart was beating wildly when she saw several shurikens dug on his back. She didn't notice because her thoughts were in disarray. Where did those shurikens come from? She muttered a curse. There was another enemy, Neji was hurt badly, and she didn't know what to do.

"It's a shinobi from Iwagakure… You have to fight him…" His breathing was labored.

"I'm… I'm no good…" She said as her tears kept on falling.

"Yes you are…"

"We have to get out of here, that's what we have to do… I'm with Sakura so…"

She hated her stupidity and uselessness. She almost killed him when the real enemy was out there. His Byakugan had been deactivated and a thin stream of crimson flowed from the corner of his mouth. She was, as always, a hindrance to him. It would have been better if she was the one who got hurt. He would know what to do. The enemy might be on the offense again soon and all she could do was tremble. It was the first time that she felt that scared- scared for his safety, above anything else.

"Tenten…"

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry..." Her voice was barely audible.

He stared at her face. She was shaken. It might be useless to convince her to fight. He embraced her tightly and picked her up as he concentrated his last remaining chakra to his feet. Carrying her, they dashed through the woods, avoiding the next batch of weapons that could have been fatal. She saw the blades striking against the empty ground. She bit her lower lip.

He slowed down before coming to a complete stop, putting her down on the ground before collapsing again. She supported his weight, helping him in a sitting position. She had him with his back leaning against a tree and she confirmed that he had lost consciousness.

He had completely exhausted his chakra, in addition to the amount of blood that he lost. She watched him as he slept- her crying had stopped a moment ago. It was dead quiet but it would soon be over. That Iwagakure shinobi seemed to be determined to finish them. She slammed her forehead against the palm of her hands- like a wake up call. She couldn't be waiting idly for their hunter. Not at that place. She needed to lead the enemy away from him. She took out her hitai-ate and after putting it on, she lifted his face with her hands, planting a soft kiss on his lips.

"I'll take it from here." She said as she ran away.

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Well that's less suspenseful, isn't it? See, I'm not in a killing mood XD

Again, your taking time to read and review is greatly appreciated!


	5. Chapter 5: Hide and Seek

Starless

NejiXTenten. The instructions were clear. Eliminate any witness. It was starless that night.

_The italicized part is a flashback._

Naruto is by Masashi Kishimoto.

-------------

Chapter Five: Hide and Seek

She was sent crashing on the ground when a shuriken pierced the flesh of her left leg. Quickly sitting up, she pulled the blade out, recognizing a yellowish liquid that coated the weapon. She shut her eyes tightly as she induced bleeding on the wound, forcing both blood and poison out of it. And when she felt like she removed most of the poison, or at least that was what she told herself, she ripped a sleeve off her top. It would make do for a temporary dressing.

She was about to stand up but halfway through, another shuriken pierced her back, near her right shoulder blade. It brought her down to her knees but with one sudden blaze of courage, she managed to stand up straight. Composing herself, she tried to think of a way to get into offense. She could have run farther but it would be impossible with that wounded leg. There was no other choice but to begin battle. This should be far enough, she thought.

"Gutsy girl." The smirking face, well hidden from the thick leaves of a nearby tree, muttered.

The third shuriken scraped her right shoulder before disappearing into the vast darkness before her. She covered the cut with her left hand, squeezing tightly. But other than that, she seemed unfazed with her straight face. Her thoughts were too busy analyzing the patterns of the Iwagakure shinobi's attack to even think about pain. As much as her head was in agitation, she needed to think of a way to fight back. She couldn't possibly go down without doing anything. Go down and let the enemy find _him_? No way.

"Interesting…" The face chuckled. "I guess I'll play with you for a bit…" He said, taking out a new set of throwing weapons.

---------

Ino tapped her foot annoyingly on the floor as Sakura took another sip from her glass of fruit juice. The glasses were dewy, two of which were untouched. The blond then stood up and began walking back and forth, sighing heavily.

"Will you cut that out?"

"Where the hell are they?" Ino nearly yelled.

"You told them to get changed, didn't you?"

"How is it possible that they need so much time to get changed?"

"I don't know!"

"That's it, I'm checking on them!"

"Just leave them alone!"

"Nevermind Hinata, she's always been slow anyway but what's the deal with Tenten?" Ino started toward the changing room. "I'm not waiting until sunrise!" She continued but the barking coming their way stopped her.

"Well, he sure didn't come from the changing rooms." Sakura said.

"Where did you go to? And where's Hinata and Tenten?"

The whelp jumped to Ino's lap when the girl stooped to pick him up. It was making so much noise and commotion that Ino was having a hard time carrying it. Sakura went closer, observing the puppy's strangely startled reaction. The Inuzuka nin dogs were no ordinary pets. And that one's behavior was being way too alarming to just ignore and dismiss as a dog wanting to play with his master. Besides, it came from the woods when it should have been with Hinata or Tenten.

"It's probably trying to say something…"

"Tough luck, we're not from the Inuzuka clan, are we?" Ino said in sarcasm and then turning to the puppy in her arms, "Calm down! If you scratch me, I'm going to… HEY!"

To the kunoichi's shock, the puppy bit the towel that served as her only piece of clothing at that time. It then ran back to the woods dragging the towel along.

"You pervert! You don't have manners! You're just like Kiba! YOU ANIMAL!" The blond cried as she covered up with the first thing that she picked up, a food tray.

"Ino, it's definitely saying something! Let's go!" Sakura said, running after the puppy after tossing an extra towel to her friend's direction.

"Sakura! You're going like that?" She asked as she wrapped the towel around her body.

"No time to change to clothes!"

"That's not what I mean! Jeez... what's your huge forehead for?" Ino grabbed the nearest kunai holster that she spotted before rushing after Sakura.

---------

She felt the warm droplet as it slowly made its way down her left cheek. She had endured multiple cuts until that time and she was yet to figure out how to locate the enemy. That last wound numbed half of her face and she was sure it left quite a nasty gash. She kept on thinking though, that she was doing pretty well, still standing up despite all that. The only reason she could think of was that the enemy stopped using poisoned weapons.

That Iwagakure shinobi was underestimating her by using regular weapons. He was looking at her like an open target that he could practice his aim with. She was peeved with her lack of tracing skills. If it was Neji, he could have already figured out the enemy's location. The outcome would have been decided. The Hyuuga genius was the antithesis of stealth and he was very adept with it as well. She blinked. Her eyes that were turning pallid suddenly brightened up.

---------

_Her eyes had been shut for some time. It was an experiment. Remembering something she read, that when you lose your eyesight, the rest of your senses get elevated. It was as if they work harder to compensate for the lack of vision. Whether it was a ninja scroll she read or just some children's storybook, she couldn't remember. Why not give it a try, she thought. Her sharp eyes were ineffective against Neji's covert attacks anyway. Anything would be better than nothing._

_She sighed. She didn't like it when Neji started concealing his moves. He was difficult enough to fight head on, even more when he was masking his presence that well. She took a step forward, trying her hardest to figure out just where he was. Impossible, she thought. She was bad with those things. The only person she could find in situations like that was Lee and probably, their sensei. She was about to raise her hand as she thought of giving up that sparring session._

_The wind sure felt strange, or so she thought, like there were steady eyes watching her every movement. She couldn't fight the urge. She opened her eyes at the same time that she spun around, simply out of curiosity. She was just as astounded as he was when they met face to face, too close for comfort. He obviously wasn't expecting that because he lost footing and fell on the ground when he backed off a couple of steps. He looked at her like she just performed a miracle._

_"You were being overconfident." She said, reaching for his hand._

_"I'm not." He said as he took her hand, dusting off his white robe that usually stays clean all throughout their training. "I'm not being overconfident."_

_"Yes you are. Or you had a lapse there or something. How else am I going to find you?"_

_"Because you're that good."_

_"Do you need something from me?" She laughed._

_"I never let my guard down, not even once. Not even though it's training. You know that."_

_She couldn't help but feel proud of herself. That approving smile on his face was precious. Neji wasn't the type who gives praises just because. To be recognized by someone she looks up to since they were small, it felt so damn good._

---------

It could be that she found Neji because she was too familiar with him. But if she gave it her best shot then it might work. It should work. She convinced herself, because she couldn't avoid those weapons with her eyes open and standing there in the open might well be her end. The strategy she had in mind required a great deal of risk and she had never tried it in actual combat. But she closed her eyes and allowed herself to relax as she tried to rid her mind of the pain that had been torturing her body.

"Giving up already?" The shinobi in hiding snickered. "Well, that's not surprising… these weapons are not poisoned but who said blades alone can't kill?"

The Iwagakure shinobi took out the weapon secured against his back by leather straps. A few mechanical strokes later, the huge pile of metal unfolded into a scythe. He held the scythe lovingly, most of the weight supported by his shoulder.

"Finally… blood worthy of your beauty…" He hummed.

Goosebumps were on her skin. She didn't know if that was due to the poison or due to the frightening situation she was in or simply because she was feeling cold. She still couldn't locate the enemy. The cool air blew softly and then steadily until it came to a stop. And there it was- that strange feeling. Pulling out two kunais from her holster and three shurikens from her pouch, she opened her eyes and threw the weapons at the lunging man before her. It was the perfect distance, the perfect timing.

The shurikens did well to paralyze his hand and the heavy weapon dropped on the ground. The first kunai pierced the left part of his chest. The other pierced the space between his clavicles. She pulled out her last kunai and switching it to her left hand, the less injured side of her body, she threw it to reinforce the shot to the heart. The shinobi landed with a thud on the ground, instantly dead- that second kunai must have done the trick because it was buried deep on his chest.

She walked toward the body that lay on the ground. She stared at his face- the face of the man that could have finished her and Neji._ Neji_. She sighed in relief, a weak smile made its way across her face. He would be fine. Sakura and Ino were in the hot spring and they were probably waiting in worry. She should get back to him. If he gained consciousness then it would be easier to find their way. She twitched at the sudden intense pain and collapsed.

"You seriously messed up this time."

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Hi everyone! I wanna thank all of you for your continued support! Each hit and review is greatly appreciated.

I'm in a good mood, expect a new romance/humour NejiTen this week! Wait, I'll be doing two fics then, gah!


	6. Chapter 6: Voluntary Demotion

Starless

NejiXTenten. The instructions were clear. Eliminate any witness. It was starless that night.

Naruto is by Masashi Kishimoto.

-------------

Chapter Six: Voluntary Demotion

He opened his eyes to a ceiling of plain white and a heavily bandaged, numbed right side of his torso. He could manage some movements but anything strenuous would be painful. They made it to safety. Was she able to defeat that Iwagakure shinobi? She had always been a capable kunoichi, that much he believed. But what did she think of him after all that?

"You're awake."

He glanced to his side upon hearing the female voice, shutting his eyes almost immediately when his vision started blurring at the turn of his head. He was sure that it was Sakura. Her distinct pink locks told him so. He was in the hospital, common sense figured it out. She settled beside his bed, checking something from the folder that she carried before leaving it on the table.

"How are you feeling?" She smiled at him.

"Bad." He wasn't in the mood to reciprocate the medic's attempt at a cheery conversation.

"You were worse."

"How is she?"

"Do you know how much blood we needed for transfusion? You should thank your uncle when he visits later."

"Sakura…" He paused, as if to gather enough energy to continue. "…I'm asking for Tenten."

"Oh."

She was obviously evading the topic. She had that smile on her face but the moment she entered the room, he sensed that something was wrong. She was faking that smile. Lee, in one of his outbursts of affection for the cherry haired kunoichi, mentioned how he liked her inability to lie. The Hokage's apprentice was really bad at telling lies, especially before his discerning eyes.

"Well…?"

"She will… see you… soon…" She stammered, unsure of what say to the irate Hyuuga.

"You're sounding like Hinata-sama."

His tone told her that the conversation was over and his opalescent orbs fixed on one empty white wall told her that he wanted her out of his sight. She headed out of the room, taking the folder with her. It was a good idea since she didn't know how to deal with an elite, temperamental, angst ridden noble blooded shinobi. She had tried before. And she miserably failed. She often wondered if Tenten had some jutsu for it or something.

---------

The entire day passed by and he was visited by almost everyone he knew though all of them were cautious about a certain topic. He wasn't pushy. And whatever they were hiding from him would eventually come out, especially when Lee drops by. He was told that his teammate would be back that evening. Knowing him, he would be at the hospital as soon as he hears of the news.

The door opened and he quickly sat up, causing a sudden intense pain on his side. He cringed but recovered his straight face right away when he realized that it wasn't just Lee who had entered his room. Lee was with the Hokage and behind her were Shizune and Sakura. The Hokage had a serious look on her face. Shizune and Sakura were both looking on the floor.

"I heard from Sakura-san that you're getting better." Lee opened the talking as he approached him. "Those weapons were poisoned and it took them some time to make an antidote but as expected, it was very effective."

He nodded in response, not a single word from his teammate was absorbed by his brain. He threw a glance at the Hokage. He was sure she wasn't there to escort Lee. Neither was she there for a mere visit. He was getting impatient with all the cover up.

"Tsunade-sama… I can handle most things."

"I know that very well." She said, sighing. "And I also know that Lee won't hold back telling you something like this. I had to do the explaining though and that's why I'm here."

Finally, he thought. He felt his heartbeat going faster. He wasn't easily excitable but something about the situation made him nervous. And he never used the word nervous before, he realized. He shifted uncomfortably.

"Do you know how long you've been down?" The Hokage started.

"Three days."

"Do you know how we found you?"

"She was with me."

"You were found alone."

"What?" He muttered, perplexed.

"Hikari found you unconscious."

"Who the hell is Hikari? What happened to Tenten? Where is she?" He asked continuously, his frustration was building up.

"Hikari is Hinata's dog, a gift from Kiba." The Hokage paused for a while. "I will answer the rest of your questions if you promise to stay still. You don't want to give the medics more work, do you?"

He straightened his back, barely managing to hide the anxiety that had taken him over.

"Tenten is under the custody of the Land of Fire for murdering their chief adviser and his numerous hired guards."

His eyes widened. Under the custody? Tenten was imprisoned for something he did- something she wasn't even aware of. Just how did it end up that way? The Hokage seemed to have perfectly read the questions in his head.

"I don't know what exactly happened but the statement issued by Takeda-sama stated that someone witnessed the murder. He condemned the act. He said he will not forgive the murderer who planned on disrupting the peace and order of the Land of Fire."

"Stop screwing with me." He hissed.

"He also… renounced the mission, for your failure to complete his conditions, putting the Land of Fire in a great risk. Damage control must be done. The murderer will be executed."

"Stop screwing with me!" He yelled as he shot out of bed.

Lee stopped him and with Sakura, they tried to hold him down.

"What are we going to do about this? Did you send a team to get her?" He asked as he struggled against the two.

"Neji… we can't do that."

"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune scolded.

"What are you saying?" He asked, suddenly motionless in astonishment.

"You should know why. Politics, relationships, ties… there are a lot to consider but above all, the greater good for the greater number. Like what I said, you of all people should know."

"Tsunade-sama…"

"Stop complaining Shizune. We're leaving." The Hokage started towards the door. "You've slept long enough so don't force me to sedate you. You're not to go out of this room unless I give you permission and that's an order, got it?"

The door closed, along with the hopes of rescuing her. He sighed heavily, to relieve the lump in his throat. He was left alone with Lee. He had calmed down, physically at least. But his head was in turmoil. She was imprisoned, waiting for her death sentence while he was told to go to bed. It was unfair. He should have known that she couldn't win against that Iwagakure shinobi- not in that vulnerable state. And why she was in that state was his fault as well.

"Neji-kun… I understand what you're going through."

"You can't possibly understand." He muttered.

"You're so cruel! Tenten is my teammate too!"

"Lee… you've always told Sakura how much she means to you."

He wasn't being mean but obviously, his teammate missed the point.

"Unlike my feelings… that never reached her." He smiled faintly.

"Neji… kun…?" He stared at the other's odd reaction.

"If I didn't hesitate that time… I had the chance, Lee. The mission should have ended there. I should have gone back with her, even if she was the witness. To think that I entertained the thought of killing her just to fulfill the daimyo's request, it was unbelievable, wasn't it?" He clasped his hands tightly, enraged at himself. "I changed my mind but it was too late. We were tracked and I was unable to protect her and she… she protected me instead."

Lee's balled fist hit him hard on the face.

"For treating our beautiful flower that way." He said.

"Thanks Lee." He could imagine how bad his jaw looked like with that hit. It stung and he wanted another one. "I'm really good at making her feel unimportant."

His teammate sighed.

"Now Neji-kun, why do you think you're here? And why do you think she's there?"

It was because of my twisted way of thinking, he thought. But he didn't answer.

"If you don't know why then I will tell you." He crossed his arms. "Neji-kun, you're here because she saved you... and she saved you because your feelings reached her."

He stared intently at his usually nonsensical teammate- because he wasn't used to hearing him saying things that made sense.

"You're not fully recovered so it's better if you follow Tsunade-sama's advice for now. But we're not giving up, I'll convince her tomorrow."

"Thank you." He said flatly. "And I'm sorry... but this is something that can't wait for another minute."

Lee went limp as soon as he felt a prickling sensation on his neck. Neji changed to his ANBU uniform that was still kept in the room, stopping just before putting on the black cowl. He folded it carefully and placed it on the bed, putting the mask on top of the folded garment, along with his hitai-ate. He was familiar with the rules. He lived the rules all his life. A ninja who stepped out of the village with no official business or with no permission would be listed as a missing nin- to be hunted by the organization he once belonged to, until that moment. He went out through the window.

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I'm not abandoning any story. It's just that, due to the very contrasting themes of my two on-going fics, updating at the same time may result in bipolar disorder XD

Anyways, thanks for reading and reviewing. It keeps me writing.


	7. Chapter 7: Don't Look Back

Starless

NejiXTenten. The instructions were clear. Eliminate any witness. It was starless that night.

Naruto is by Masashi Kishimoto.

-------------

Chapter Seven: Don't Look Back

Her wrists, tied behind her, burned against the tight ropes. She had been trying to free herself but all her efforts were useless. The ropes, including those that tied her legs together were too tough- it was probably infused with chakra. She sighed as she tried to reorganize her thoughts. The wounds didn't hurt anymore. Or it could be that she got used to it. Her body felt heavy though, and it was like everything was spinning. The enemy stopped using poisoned weapons but his initial attacks had that much effect.

"Neji…" She whispered weakly.

She passed out after she felt a stab on her back. She remembered hearing a male voice before it all went black. She didn't know what had become of Neji but she was alone when she woke up. And she woke up in that small room- all of its windows were shut- if it had any. It was after a day that she was visited by a Land of Fire official, reading the daimyo's decision on her case. She wasn't surprised, she wasn't angry, she wasn't even sure if she felt anything. Maybe it was because she _believed_. And she still did.

She froze when the door creaked. She braced herself when the small light, the first she had seen in what seemed like a very long time, illuminated the room- prison rather. Aside from that official, nobody else had seen her. The foods, which she never tasted, and the water, which she drank sparingly after careful examination, were delivered though a small opening at the bottom of the door. She glared at the entrance. She wasn't really expecting someone pleasant.

"Impossible…" She said as her eyes widened in disbelief.

Messy platinum blond hair and droopy pale blue eyes- he looked pure and impish at the same time. His face lightened up when he smiled innocently but it only gave her the shivers. This guy, she stared at the face of this guy as he lay on the ground. His chest was soaked in his own blood back there. That second kunai was almost buried entirely on his chest. No matter how she recalled it, it was impossible that he recovered from that. So why was he standing before her, unscathed?

"Do I look like Tetsuya that much?" He said as he bent closer, leaving the lamp on the floor.

"Tetsuya…?"

"My idiot brother, the one you killed."

"You are…"

"The younger brother, the one who uses this brain…" He paused, as if looking up something on her face. "He rushed ahead of me, unknowing that he will be met by the angel of death."

She stared at crouched tall guy before her. She wasn't expecting something so cheesy at that situation, unless it was Gai or Lee. The one that she killed and this one, they were brothers- that much she was convinced. They were both lunatics on the loose. How could he be smiling like that when his older brother just died? Beating her up would be the normal reaction in that case. He could have something else in mind and she'd rather deal with something straightforward.

"But I don't really hate you for that… it's payback for hurting your face." He said, putting a gentle finger over the wound on her cheek that reminded her that she was heavily injured.

"Quit the flattery. What do you want?" She asked, unsure if she wanted to know the answer though she maintained the clarity and snappiness of her voice.

"More than just a pretty face, I see. I kind of understand why Tetsuya got playful with you…" He chuckled as he took out a strip of black cloth. "You're very interesting, even impressive."

He covered her eyes with the cloth. Her heart was suddenly throbbing like crazy and she had used a thousand words in her head to calm herself. The most effective one, she learned, was _his name_. It was working somehow as she looked undisturbed from the outside. However, she couldn't help but jerk when she heard footsteps coming their way. The last thing she needed was another psycho to deliver more blows to her crumbling grit.

"Toshiya, hurry… eh? What's this about?"

The new voice burst into laughter. It was probably another Iwagakure shinobi, she thought. After securing the blindfold, the guy called Toshiya stood up to face the other. She was relieved a bit. She badly needed the space. Her thoughts were cluttered, the prison was suffocating, and the strangely happy disposition of her perpetrators was not helping at all. That place was guarded by a good number of men and in her condition, escaping or fighting was out of the picture. Her imagination had run out.

"What are you doing here?" Toshiya asked in an irritated tone.

"You're brothers after all! Sadomasochistic brothers! But I never thought Tetsuya's death is so meaningless to you!" The voice continued laughing in between his words. "And to think that you were serious when you said she's your type! Oh I know, I know, this is what they call love at first right, isn't it?"

"What do you want me to do? Tetsuya died a couple of days ago!"

"Right, so you waited that long, I'm so sorry about that!" He sighed, as if to gather his composure. "Well, that's fine. I came to tell you to hurry… with whatever that thing you're doing…" He said as he began his ridiculous cackling again.

"Stop blabbing and get the hell out of here! Don't tell me to hurry when you keep on standing there, you idiot!" He said, pushing the other shinobi out of the room.

"Sorry, sorry, my bad… oh yea, hurry up… we'll collect the rest of the fee with her corpse."

She heard the door shut and then there was a brooding silence. She swallowed- her throat was getting awfully dry. She heaved when a cold metal touched her arm, moving up to her shoulder. It must be a sickle, she thought with the feel of the semicircular blade. She pressed her lips together when she felt a warm breath near her neck. She was no little girl to be weeping. She was a tough Konoha kunoichi. Her eyes shut tighter when he began kissing her jaw line.

---------

The door to the Hokage's office slammed open to reveal a heavily panting Shizune with a black garment on her hand, the other hand held on to the door knob for support. The Hokage was with Sakura who was talking about a new combination of herbs effective against allergic reactions. Both of them looked her way.

"You nearly destroyed the door. That's going to be deducted from your salary, you know?"

"Tsunade-sama! Hyuuga Neji left the village!"

"Really."

"It's true!" She said as she showed the ANBU cowl, along with the mask and hitai-ate. "Lee had been knocked cold but he's just fine."

"That's to be expected, I guess."

"Is that all you have to say? He left because you practically told him to do so!" Shizune sighed to catch her breath. "You said you were planning to secretly send a squad to rescue Tenten. Why didn't you tell him that?"

"Shissou, well, I was wondering about the sudden change in plans as well." Sakura said.

"I thought it's a good chance."

"A good chance…?" The older apprentice asked, her breathing slowly normalizing.

"Yes, a good chance."

"To…?" Sakura and Shizune asked in chorus.

"To see what he's really made of."

"At this time? Tsunade-sama, I don't think it's the time to be doing experiments or evaluations!"

"It's not that we're questioning you but... I agree with Shizune-san."

"Well, we can't stop him now, can we?" The Hokage said as she picked up the hitai-ate on her desk. "Although I must admit... I never thought he's going to decide on something like this. It's so not like him."

The two apprentices looked at each other, stupefied at the smiling face of the Hokage. While it was true that it was a decision so un-Neji-like, it was inappropriate to be in high spirits. There was no reason to be gleeful over a shinobi gone amuck. The Hokage probably had too much sake that day.

---------

There was a stinging sensation in her eyes. She struggled with the ropes that tied her hands, not to break free. She had been convinced that it wasn't going to work. But instead, it was to feel the pain from her bruised wrists. It took her thoughts off the shinobi whose hands, rough and unpredictable, were leaving invisible scars on her skin. His slick mouth had not left her and had moved to that part of her neck, painfully slow, as if savoring every second of the contact.

Did the Hokage really mean it when she said that Konoha wouldn't interfere with justice? Though being wounded, poisoned, and possibly raped in prison, was hardly justice in her vocabulary. She gasped when his sickle slightly grazed her chest. Her top had been ripped at the collar, giving him the access that he wanted as he went lower. He paused, however, distracted by the interruption. He uttered a growl, cursing as he looked at the man who was standing behind him. _Finally_, her tears overflowed.

"Now what do you want this-"

The last thing he saw was a murderous glare. The unforeseen intense glow of silvery blue chakra blinded him and before he was able to make a move, the chakra had blasted through his body, the trail of light extending to shatter the walls behind him. The shinobi lay on the massive rubble, bleeding from a lesion on his forehead.

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What to say... oh yea, I used Toshiya's name for a rapist lol I'm sorry, I love Diru!

Once again, thanks everyone oxo


	8. Chapter 8: Rewarding the Fallen

Starless

NejiXTenten. The instructions were clear. Eliminate any witness. It was starless that night.

Naruto is by Masashi Kishimoto.

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Chapter Eight: Rewarding the Fallen

He sneaked in the prison house relatively fast, using his Byakugan to do most of the work. He had scanned the building from a distance before making a move. The guards were mere soldiers of the Land of Fire, except for a number of Iwagakure ninjas deployed at the basement. It made the search easier. She was in one of those detention cells. And he didn't dare entertain thoughts of what they could have done to her.

Henge no jutsu was basic and it was enough to allow him entrance through the main gates. Dealing with Iwagakure ninjas would have been more difficult if they weren't drunk. Luck was still on his side. He was able to conserve as much chakra as possible, eliminating only those that posed a real threat. He would need the same level of cautiousness if they were to return safely to Konoha. He couldn't afford to be engaged in battle in his condition.

He needed so much effort to restrain himself when he saw her- badly injured, pressed against the floor by a sex starved bastard- and it was all because of him. He didn't know that he was capable of producing such a powerful Hakke Hazangeki in that weakened body. He noted that it was the strongest one that he was able to come up with since he perfected the said jutsu. The pervert was down on the pile of crushed rocks, trying to get up though his body was trembling violently.

_Save chakra for your escape_. He had repeated the same line in his head over and over again. Coming all the way would be useless if you wouldn't be able to escape safely. Don't waste your energy. You came to get her- nothing more, nothing less. The Iwagakure shinobi was injured enough anyway. His jaw tightened. What the hell. _He touched her_. He walked toward the still oblivious shinobi, picking him up by the collar of his shirt and began hitting him with continuous hard punches.

"Neji."

His clenched fist remained suspended midair, blood stained- his own and that shinobi's. Her voice was soft and calming. It brought him back to his senses. _Why_, he was expecting harsh words. He deserved worse than the maniac. He loosened his grip on his collar and allowed him to slither down on the debris. The concussed Iwagakure shinobi had far too much damage to his inner organs that he had stopped breathing when he was released.

"Give me a second." He said as he went to her.

The ropes were untied and her immediate reaction was to remove the blindfold. But his hands caught hers. They remained seated across each other, with nothing else but a small lamp and complete silence.

"What's wrong…?" She spoke first.

"I'll be…" His answer was delayed. His voice choked in hesitation. "I'll be too ashamed to appear before you."

It took her a while to digest his words. Perhaps due to the events that happened and the pain all throughout her body, or simply due to the fact that he came, she was willing to forgive his faults- if she hadn't done so already.

"Why is that? I don't know where you got that." She asked as she leaned forward, relaxing her head at the crook of his neck. "There's nothing to be ashamed of."

He didn't speak. He didn't speak most of the time anyway. But even without words, she had learned to understand. His arms, careful and tender, wrapped around her lithe body right after the blindfold was removed. She sighed, breathing in his scent, closing her still hazy eyes.

"Thank you for coming." She whispered.

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The corridor was well lighted and the only problem was the distance that they needed to run to get out of the labyrinth-like structure. She felt like a portion of strength was being drained off her with every step. And she knew Neji wasn't doing any better. She heard his footsteps coming to a halt, causing her to stop running as well. She turned around and saw him a few steps away, staring at the space before him.

"Go on."

"No!"

"We've been followed."

"No!"

"Tenten, you're going back to the village."

"I'm not going back alone." She paused, looking down on the floor before jumping a distance along with him. "Chakra… underground?"

"_**Doton, Shinjuu Zanshu no Jutsu**_." Neji said, landing right beside her.

"So… Toshiya's catch has a boyfriend." The figure came out of the cracked floor. "And mister boyfriend here figured out my jutsu. You have good observation skills, I'll give you that."

"You're an amateur, aren't you?" Neji smirked. "Even kids know that justu."

The shinobi's teal eyes narrowed and his lips curved upwards, making a sinister look on his face. He was shorter than Toshiya and his spiked dark brown hair was a sharp contrast to his comrade. From his voice, she was sure that he was that laughing clown who came to temporarily disturb Toshiya's raging hormones. Only that, she didn't know how they would fare against a fresh shinobi though Neji's appraisal somehow lifted her morale.

"Are you trying to impress me? How about showing me through actions instead of words?"

"Anytime you're ready. I'll give you the first move." He waited with that graceful stance.

He talked big and she wondered if he had something up his sleeve. She stared at him with a worried look on her face, nearly jumping when two figures appeared- one beside him and one beside her. The familiar uniforms and masks just guaranteed their lives.

"Leave this to us."

"Take this route, we've cleared it up for you."

She nodded without thinking twice about it. She was getting the feeling that Neji was bluffing when he challenged the enemy. Those two were ANBU and they should be fine. The Hokage didn't abandon them. She tugged him by his arm when she noticed that he was still focused on the guy before him.

"Neji, let's go." She said, pulling him with her.

"He's an Iwagakure shinobi specializing in Doton jutsus." He turned to the masked nins. "Be careful and please follow us soon."

The two Konoha ANBU members looked at each other before giving him a slight nod. He took her hand and they started running, leaving the three in battle. She threw a glance at him, no longer with worry but with esteem. He changed.

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Shizune sighed, giving the pig in her arms a mild squeeze. The Hokage yawned. She skipped a good night sleep, telling her assistant that she had a lot of things to do but the slacker that she was didn't fool anyone. And although it was true that her desk was covered with paperwork and books, she didn't touch any of them the entire night. The door opened and the two waited in anticipation.

"Hokage-sama." The masked nin entered the room and bowed down.

"I only want to hear one word from you."

"Success."

"Excellent!"

"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune exclaimed, hugging Tonton tighter.

"Didn't I tell you he can pull this off? There's absolutely nothing to worry about!" The Hokage nodded in approval.

"So why did you send an ANBU team after him?" Shizune muttered to herself.

"Are you saying something?"

"Oh no, don't mind me." She shook her head.

"Get that thing and follow me." The Hokage stormed out of her office.

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Sakura tended on Tenten's wounds. The poison was almost negligible because Tenten was able to force it out immediately. There were deep wounds though and her dangerously low level of chakra was Sakura's main concern. Neji was standing at the corner of the room, blankly staring at the green glow on Sakura's hands.

"You should go back to your room." Sakura said.

"I'll be fine here."

"I told you, she's going to be alright." Sakura assured him.

"Neji, listen to Sakura, you're not doing any better than I am."

"But before you go to your room, I need to talk to you." The sannin walked in the room, Shizune was right behind her.

Sakura stood up in respect to the Hokage but she was motioned to sit down and go back to her patient. Tenten knew that something was up the moment that she saw him without his hitai-ate. It was always a necessity for him- not the hitai-ate itself, but the fact that it covered the juinjutsu. It was not something that he would forget randomly. The seriousness in the Hokage's tone worsened that bad feeling.

"Tsunade-sama, I'd rather have the telling off wait until Tenten is safe."

"I'm afraid that's not possible." She said, crossing her arms. "You have some guts to talk to me that way."

"Shissou…" Sakura said, looking at her master and then at Shizune who only gave her a shrug as a reply.

"I want everyone out of this." The Hokage began, eyeing Tenten.

Tenten avoided eye contact. Sakura held her hand firmly in support.

"Hyuuga Neji, to get to her you abandoned your rank. You don't need titles, I see. You snuck out of the village illegally on a self commissioned rescue operation. Do you think you know better than I do? You disobeyed my orders… your Hokage's orders. I'm saying you're guilty of insubordination. And because of that…" She paused to glance at her assistant. "Shizune!"

Shizune rolled her eyes as she stepped forward to hand him a folded white garment, along with a mask- that of a different pattern from the one that he left in his room, and his hitai-ate.

"Because of that, Hyuuga Neji, from now on those who will be working under you will be in good hands." Her face suddenly brightened up. "Congratulations, Squad Leader."

"Tsunade-sama…" His eyes widened.

"I'm rehiring you. Don't tell me you want to retire permanently at that age? Or do I have to force you to take the damn thing?"

"But…"

"I won't allow questions or objections. What the hell is your problem? Sometimes I just hate your complexity!" The sannin said annoyingly.

"Well, you heard her..." Shizune laughed as she handed him the cowl. "Congratulations!" She greeted.

"I won't fail you. Not ever again." He said, lowering his head. "Thank you."

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_**Earth Type: Inner Decapitation Technique**_– A technique that allows the ninja to move freely underground. Kakashi used this against Sasuke during their Survival training.

The Hakke Hazangeki is crazy lol. I've always wanted to make him use it in one of my fics.

Last chapter will be posted in the next update. It will be short, probably, epilogue-ish, just to tie the loose ends together. As always, thanks for your support!


	9. Chapter 9: Certain Destiny

Starless

NejiXTenten. The instructions were clear. Eliminate any witness. It was starless that night.

Naruto is by Masashi Kishimoto.

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Chapter Nine: Certain Destiny

Tenten watched the glistening scenery from her window. Konoha was white with the first snow and she was just on time to catch on the winter cheer. Her release papers were brought in by Sakura the previous day. It took her a while to get back to full health but her stay in the hospital wasn't a bore at all. She was frequently visited by friends, and Neji- who was also given some time off.

"Isn't he coming?" Sakura asked as soon as she stepped in the room.

"No. He has a mission today." She said, turning to look at the medic whom she had become quite friendly with.

"I'll help you pack then." The cherry haired kunoichi smiled.

She nodded and smiled back. Having no family meant that she had to take care of herself and do everything on her own. It wasn't really a big deal to her. She was quite independent to begin with. Neji was of help the past few weeks but the last time he visited her, he told her about his first mission as a squad leader. She didn't bother saying a word. She had wholly accepted him.

"I heard Naruto was included in his team."

"Naruto is not ANBU, is he?"

"No, but Sasuke-kun was recently admitted as a probationary member and well, you know Naruto, he said he wants to be one too." She laughed. "But I think Shissou is just testing Neji-san's patience."

She was glad to hear that Neji's mission didn't seem to be a very dangerous one. She was also glad that Sakura sounded like her relationship with Sasuke was improving. One year ago, Sasuke returned- though it seemed like he never really came back. Sakura slumped in more misery- unable to reach him. But her tips, though silly and even funny, probably had an effect. There was a common factor with all those geniuses apparently.

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"The mission is to investigate the kidnapping of the new leader of the Wasabi Clan from the Tea Country. Of course, it might entail a rescue operation if you gather enough information and evidence." The Hokage's full attention was on the scroll she was reading. "It could get complicated but I believe you would do well in this A to B rank mission, depending on who the kidnappers are."

"I decline."

"I'm including Naruto in your team because my ear is hurting from his demands for an ANBU mission."

"Tsunade-sama…" Shizune said in a hushed voice.

"At the same time, I'm removing Sasuke because you might have a hard time babysitting two retards. In any case, the reason why I'm including either one of them is because they've been to the Tea Country before."

"Tsunade-sama…"

"What is it, Shizune?" The Hokage gave her assistant an annoyed glace. "I'm reading the request carefully, am I not?"

Shizune sighed.

"Godaime Hokage-sama, I said I'm declining the mission."

The Hokage looked at him with her eyebrows furrowed in thought.

"I have… something to do this week."

"Something important?"

"Very important." Neji said as he walked toward her desk. "I thought you might want an invitation."

He left two white envelopes on the desk, one with the Hokage's name and the other one with Shizune's. And after politely excusing himself, he went for the door.

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She was walking absent mindedly on the straight road that at the end, will lead to her rented apartment. She had a huge bag with her. Sakura wanted to walk her home if only she wasn't fully booked with patients. It was fine though. Her bag wasn't that heavy but when she felt the weight slipping from her hands, she quickly glanced to her right. Neji gave her a smile.

"I thought you're leaving the hospital this afternoon?"

"I want to start cleaning up my place." She said as she went to his other side so she could hold his hand. "Besides, there's nothing to do there."

He nodded, lightly squeezing her hand.

"Nevermind me, I thought you're going on a mission today?"

"I didn't accept it."

"For what reason?" She asked, placing a hand on his cheek. "That's your first mission as a squad leader, you know."

"I'm busy." He said, letting out a soft huff of laughter at her reaction.

"With what?"

"There's a celebration at our place this coming weekend."

"Oh." She rested her head on his shoulder. "Sounds like a big one if they even got you to be involved."

"I'm thinking… hopefully, you're free this Saturday?"

"Of course I am! Am I invited? I'm really tired of doing nothing!"

Excitement rung in her voice and he was happy to hear that.

"It wouldn't proceed without you." He said as he gave her a white envelope.

"Can I open it now? What's the occasion?" She asked as she took the seal off.

"You're already opening it." He sighed.

She laughed as she slid the card out, suddenly turning quiet as she looked up at him when she realized what the invitation was for. He could refuse a mission upon his clan's request. Actually, she thought that it was the only instance that he would do so. He accepted several missions in the past even when he wasn't feeling well or wasn't fully recovered. He accepted that last mission too- even when she asked him not to. She stared at him for a while. He really changed.

"Our engagement party." He said as he walked on ahead- she was staring at him long enough. "Don't miss it."

The smile returned to her face as she imagined the embarrassed look on his face. Because he wasn't one to talk about those things, all the more that she appreciated every word he said. She ran up to him, taking her rightful place- beside the person that she very much liked, sometimes hated, always loved.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world."

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My ability to distinguish fluff is currently disabled.

Well, we've come to the end of this story. A big THANK YOU to all of you!

And oh, if by any chance you have some time to spare, please visit my profile. I have a favor to ask.


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